5310 Fines and Other Financial Penalties

Initial Date of Approval: 4/22/09

Revision Date(s):  2/9/21

Administrative Responsibility: Vice President of Student Services

PURPOSE

To recover outstanding debt(s) owed to Skagit Valley College.

REFERENCES

• WAC 132D-122 Withholding Services of Outstanding Debts
• RCW 34.05 Administrative Procedure Act
• SSHB 2513

POLICY

If any person, including faculty, staff, student or former student, is indebted to the institution for an outstanding overdue debt, the institution need not provide any further services of any kind to such individual, including but not limited to transmitting files, records, or other services which have been requested by such person.

PROCEDURES

In order to collect outstanding parking fines, library fines and obligations, or other institutional commitments, the college may decline to re-enroll a student as the Dean of Enrollment Services deems necessary. The student may request an informal hearing on the denial of services. For more information, see the Dean of Enrollment Services.

In order to collect outstanding parking fines, library fines and obligations, or other institutional commitments, the college will place an enrollment block on the person’s record until debt to the institution is cleared. The student will be notified of such enrollment block. Once the debt has been collected, the block will be removed and the person shall be in good standing with the college.

WAC 132D-122-020 Notification
(1) Upon receiving a request for services where there is an outstanding debt due the institution from the requesting person, the institution shall notify the person in person, email, or first-class mail that the services will not be provided since there is an outstanding debt due. The person shall be told that until the debt is satisfied, no such services as are requested will be provided.

(2) The letter of notification shall also state that the person has a right to a brief adjudicative proceeding before a person designated by the president of the institution. The proceeding must be requested within twenty days of the date of notification of refusal to provide services.

(WAC 132D-122-030 Procedure for brief adjudicative proceeding.) Upon receipt of a timely request for a hearing, the person designated by the president shall have the records and files of the institution available for review and shall hold an informal hearing concerning whether the individual in fact owes or owed any outstanding debts to the institution. The hearing must be conducted within ten days of the request for a hearing. After the informal hearing, a decision shall be rendered by the president’s designee indicating whether in fact the institution is correct in withholding services for the outstanding debt. If the outstanding debt is owed by the individual involved, no further services shall be provided. Notification of this decision shall be sent to the individual within five days after the hearing. This hearing shall constitute a brief adjudicative proceeding established by the Administrative Procedure Act at RCW 34.05.482- 34.05.494.